Upgrading server backend

So I am updating my university’s newspaper site to a new theme, but first I need to
get php to 7.3.15 or 7.3.14
and update mysql to 5.7.29,
which requires updating Apache to 2.4.41
and I want to update CPanel & WHM to 86 which also requires the new Apache
and update phpMyAdmin to 5.0.1 or 5.0.2 if it releases soon.

In WHM You must migrate from EA3 to EA4 before upgrading to v78 or newer. You can do so by running /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/migrate_ea3_to_ea4 or via WHM’s EasyApache 4 Migration interface. For more information please see: https://go.cpanel.net/EA4Migration
(If your system uses a version of PHP that EasyApache 4 does not support, websites that depend on that version of PHP may no longer function.

What I need to figure out is will I break the database every step and what i need to do to fix it along the way. I’m currently preparing a local copy of the site on XAMPP VC11 2 with php 5.6.24, which is the current server php version.

I was trying on a php 7.3* version but I couldn’t get it to load.. lots of SSL problems… maybe unrelated.

Just to be safe I’m starting over with this. The server currently runs Apache 2.2 But my xampp has 2.4. so I’ll have to make any fixes as I try to migrate locally.

Any tips? I have no idea if I should actually try changing the DB beyond standard migration protocols.

Thanks

The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]